Pittsburgh Steelers finalize 53-man roster for 2021 NFL season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have finalized their 53-man roster for the 2021 NFL season and there were some changes to the team from the start of camp. The Steelers move on from two special teams staples, waiving punter Jordan Berry and long snapper Kameron Canaday in favor of cap flexibility.

In addition, the Steelers team site announced they have released the following: receivers Rico Bussey and Cody White; running backs Trey Edmunds and Jaylen Samuels; offensive linemen Rashaad Coward, B.J. Finney, Chaz Green and John Leglue; tight end Kevin Rader; linebackers Cassius Marsh, Quincy Roche and Jamar Watson; defensive backs Mark Gilbert, Arthur Maulet and Donovan Stiner. The Steelers also placed quarterback Joshua Dobbs on the injured reserve list following an injury he sustained in their final preseason game.

Steelers finalize 2021 roster

The Steelers finished 2020 with a 12-4 record, winning the AFC North division. They lost against the Cleveland Browns in week 17, then again in the NFL playoff wild-card game to end their season.

With a training camp trade and a couple of veterans underperforming in the preseason, the 53-man roster looks a little different than it did going into camp. The Steelers had already waived 2020 draft pick Antoine Brooks Jr., during camp due to injury, and they add quarterback Joshua Dobbs to the injured reserve list.

Quarterbacks – Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins

Mason Rudolph earned the backup position behind Roethlisberger, but the big news on cut day is Dwayne Haskins making the team over Josh Dobbs. Dobbs was certainly in contention for the roster position, but Haskins’ potential ceiling earned him the right to stay in the quarterback room and develop with the team as Dobbs is placed on injured reserve.

Running backs – Najee Harris, Anthony McFarland Jr., Kalen Ballage, Derek Watt (FB), Benny Snell Jr.

Jaylen Samuels missed the cut as Snell makes it, despite them both being the No. 2 and No. 3 running backs once upon a time. Injuries and poor training camp showings seemed to cost them their spots. Snell missed significant time in camp with an undisclosed lower body injury, but will be with the team. Samuels failed to impress in any way, costing him his roster spot. Najee Harris should be the main guy for Pittsburgh, with McFarland being used to give Harris a break with the starting unit. Ballage moved into third on the depth chart due to his size and output during the preseason. Watt should be featured more frequently in the Steelers offense this season at fullback.

Wide receivers – JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud

The Steelers keep their five receivers from the previous season, with McCloud likely to continue as their return man. Cody White, Mathew Sexton, Anthony Johnson and Rico Bussey all made a strong showing in camp if the Steelers wanted a sixth receiver, but they made the choice to proceed with just the five they have as they finalize their 2021 roster.

Tight ends – Eric Ebron, Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry

After a fantastic preseason effort, Freiermuth is positioned to be the Steelers starting tight end. Despite the rise of Freiermuth, Ebron still has a spot on the roster as long as his contract makes him too pricey to cut. If the Steelers cut Ebron, he would appear on their books as a dead cap hit of $3.5 million. Ebron’s skill and experience should see him still appear as an occasional passing option. Gentry is returning from ACL surgery last year, and has looked good in camp so far. The Steelers will likely feature him in tight end blocking situations.

Offensive line – Kevin Dotson, Zach Banner, Chukwuma Okorafor, J.C. Hassenauer, Kendrick Green, Trai Turner, Dan Moore Jr., Joe Haeg

Dan Moore Jr. is the most improved player in this unit, left off of initial roster projections by ESPN. “He was frequently involved in scuffles at the line, showing an edge the offensive line needs, and he showed versatility filling in for both Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle and Zach Banner at right,” explained ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. His rise knocks Rashaad Coward off of the 53-man roster.

Defensive line – Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, Chris Wormley, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Isaiah Buggs, Carlos Davis, Henry Mondeaux

Wormley has stepped up in camp with the absence of starter Tuitt, earning him his spot on the depth chart. Tuitt hasn’t been at practice since the beginning of training camp as he is dealing with the loss of his younger brother in a hit-and-run incident. Right now the Steelers are ready to go if Tuitt is still unavailable, but they are awaiting his return all the same.

Linebackers – T.J. Watt, Melvin Ingram III, Alex Highsmith, Jamir Jones, Devin Bush, Buddy Johnson, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen, Joe Schobert, Miles Killebrew, Ulysses Gilbert III

Schobert is the touted addition to this linebacker group led by fringe MVP candidate T.J. Watt. His ability to play pass coverage at corner will likely pair him with Bush as the starting coverage unit in the Steelers’ base defense. He’s expected to be the defensive play-caller as well. Jones has won the outside linebacker spot from Quincy Roche, with impressive camps. Roche was a draft pick for the Steelers, but still has a lot to work on by their estimates. Jones is ready now, and depth at linebacker is a concern for their team now.

Cornerbacks – Joe Haden, Cameron Sutton, James Pierre, Justin Layne

Sutton looks to be used as a corner in base defense and a slot corner in nickel sets. Antoine Brooks Jr. entered camp as the potential slot corner, but was waived with an injury designation during camp during early cuts. Arthur Maulet seemed to benefit the most from his departure, yet was cut in the end.

Safeties – Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Tre Norwood

Fitzpatrick and Edmunds are clear leaders at the safety position, but Norwood and Killebrew had impressive showings throughout camp, with Killebrew making the roster as a linebacker. The safety position was one of the least deep units during the entire preseason, but the Steelers feel confident in the three (four with Killebrew) that they’re bringing as they finalize the 2021 roster.

Special Teams – Chris Boswell, Christian Kuntz, Pressley Harvin III

The punting battle between Harvin and Jordan Berry was one of the highlights of training camp, but ultimately the rookie draft pick earns the spot over Berry. He has an unbelievably strong leg and a big upside as he acclimates to the NFL. Kuntz edges out veteran Kameron Canaday to take over long snapping duties.